


Blessed

by sparkle-fingers (sundayrain26)



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Angst, Don't copy to another site, First Kiss, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Mutual Pining, Societal expectations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-10
Updated: 2019-11-10
Packaged: 2021-01-26 14:54:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21375919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sundayrain26/pseuds/sparkle-fingers
Summary: Recreating Rhett's first kiss is a lie that cuts Link deeper than he cares to admit.
Relationships: Rhett McLaughlin/Link Neal
Comments: 11
Kudos: 51





	Blessed

"You be Amber."

He freezes up on the spot. Still he complies.

It hits too close to home. This isn't Rhett and Amber's story. It's_ theirs_.

He wants to tell it right.

It never happened at the fountain. They both knew better. That's okay. Their story is better.

Rhett and Link, aged fourteen and thirteen, are at one of their frequent haunts, in the woods, near the Cape Fear River. They'd been swimming earlier that day and have been drip drying, first lying out on the riverbank, now walking through the trees. A fallen tree offers a natural bench that beckons Link. He sits on it, his chilled hands on the rough bark. Rhett follows, settles right next to him, bumping knees. Their lazy, winding conversation has trickled off into silence, the sounds of the woods around them a comforting backdrop.

Rhett seems a little antsy in Link's periphery. He's preparing to get back up and continue on when a slightly clammy hand finds his. He doesn't startle per se, but he does glance down. They don't generally hold hands. Not since they were small. Rhett carefully arranges their fingers, interlocking them. It draws a shiver from Link as he's struck by the intimacy of the act. He's not sure what else to do other than curl his fingers around the back of Rhett's hand in quiet acceptance.

His heart flutters a rapid, shy dance in his ribcage. Rhett's palm is slippery against his as Rhett's thumb strokes the side of his hand. His thumb reflexively moves in kind.

A sudden, soft throat clearing draws his attention up. He looks nervous as hell. "Can I kiss you?"

He should have had some idea, some hint that had been coming. And, if he's honest with himself, he did. But he hadn't let himself believe it. His mind is blank and he can see the panic rising in Rhett's face as the seconds tick by. The hand not in Rhett's shakes in his lap as he unsticks his tongue from the roof of his mouth. He croaks, "Yes."

The relief that washes over his face floods over him too. The smile that replaces the anxious draw of his brow is beatific, more radiant than the sun where it bursts through the tree canopy. He's hushed, reverent whispering, "_Gosh, _really?"

"Yeah, really." There's a warmth in his body, spreading like wildfire. He squeezes Rhett's hand.

Rhett's other hand comes up, oh so slowly, reaches to touch the side of Link's face. His tongue darts out to his lower lip as his eyes fall to Link's mouth. He leans in, not closing his eyes until they unfocus from the proximity. The first soft touch of lips is dry, except for that spot of Rhett's lip that he just wet. They fall apart, just barely, still breathing the same air. Rhett's breathless, still pleasantly surprised as he punctuates the moment, "_Gosh_."

Link's fingers tighten around Rhett's hand again. He swallows, bravery swelling in his chest and propelling him forward. His hand lands on Rhett's knee as their lips come together again. More emphatic presses then, in synchrony, as they do, their mouths open to one another, introducing their tongues for the first time. Rhett can't seem to contain the small, desperate sound, but it's fine because neither can Link. Rhett tastes like the Cheerwine they'd had hours ago and it's intoxicating.

They crowd closer, hands still intertwined between them. Rhett has his hand on the back of Link's neck, Link's is sliding mindlessly up Rhett's thigh. Rhett pulls back, forehead to Link's, cheeks up in the most content of smiles.

He realizes where his hand is and he flushes an even deeper red as he sends it closer to Rhett's knee again. Tempting as it is, neither of them are ready for that yet. Rhett cups his face in his hand, trails his thumb across his cheek, soft and sweet with the most adoring look in his eyes. It feels like a time for confessions of love, the build to this has been so long. Stronger is the need to first nurture this tiny sprout of a fresh branch growing on the sapling tree that is their friendship.

Rhett's hand tightens around his, long and slow and affirming. The message must make it through. Link's eyes are tellingly bright in the filtered sunlight and he swallows around the thick lump in his throat. Rhett tugs at their joined hands as he stands. "C'mon bo."

He's still lost in the memory, doesn't hardly hear Rhett's slip up – pull out instead of pull back – something he should react to. He feels flat faced in the moment, forced to pretend this altered memory was truth for the camera, for the world at large to see. A deep sense of dread settles heavy in his belly like lead at the bottom of their river, makes him nauseated.

He's tried so hard to forget. As much as they were meant to be together, they'd known as young boys in a small town that it would never fly. So they'd done what was expected of them. Even if thinking of what they could have had leaves Link full of a swirling mix of disgruntled anger and gut wrenching heartache.

They move along, heading to Buies Creek First Baptist Church next. Rhett finds where he carved his own name the AC unit. Link can't help cracking a joke, Matt plus Rhett equals _ love_. It's something he would say. And it fits his current musings. _ What if Rhett had some secret fling with another guy? _

Inside the church, they point out the spots where their families would sit. They demonstrate the baptismal and Link wants to shy away, not allow the gentle hand at his neck, the hand covering his over his nose. He can't help it, indulges as he often does nowadays. His hand even comes up to cover Rhett's, he's helpless to it.

His sour mood is crumbling as they ascend into the balcony. They huddle together in the pew, writing deep thoughts and snickering like children. Rhett's doing that thing. The thing the beasts like to call heart eyes. It's inescapable, he knows. He does it too. Link's heart swells and he's left sweeping away the remains of his pouting demeanor. There's almost a palpable relief between them. Of course Rhett had noticed the sullen downturn in his mood. He feels a twinge of guilt. Not only at concerning his best friend, but for succumbing to the feeling in the first place. It's not like he regrets what he's done with his life.

Link is still reflecting when they make it back to their hotel to call it a night. They walk in comfortable silence to Link's room, it's closer to the lobby. Without a word, Rhett follows him inside. Link doesn't bat an eye. This is normal.

Rhett settles into the lone chair by a table and Link perches on the edge of the sharp-cornered bed. Silence nestles over them, Link shooting off a quick text to Christy as Rhett fiddles with the pen he'd found on a pad of hotel-branded paper.

For once, Rhett breaks the silence first. "You okay, man?"

He sets his phone aside, tucks his fingers around his shins where his legs are folded underneath him. He thinks about lying, he really does. But he owes it to Rhett to be honest.

"Fine now. I was just," he has to pause, licks his lips as he collects his thoughts, "Just stuck in the past." Rhett's eyes slide up to meet his and there's a look of recognition, of an epiphany bubbling beneath the exterior. "Yeah," he confirms, almost under his breath, face tipped down as if in shame.

Rhett's low tone reverberates between them, "Hey."

Link continues looking down at his lap.

Large fingers move to lift his face, delicately coaxing his chin up. It serves the intended purpose, draws his attention to Rhett but also centers his soul. His breathing which had been coming a little quicker levels out and his heart rate slows. Amazing that his trust is so implicit.

He's quiet, tired, asking, "What, man?"

They've hardly discussed this at all since Rhett had started going for therapy. Not intentionally avoided, just never came up. The thought of mulling it over with a more-in-touch-with-his-feelings Rhett leaves his skin feeling too tight.

"I shouldn'ta said that was my first kiss. Woulda been implied I guess but I'm sorry I made you play Amber. I knew you weren't comfortable and I pushed you."

He sucks in breath through his teeth and shakes his head. "Nah, it'll be good for views. Little beasties'll eat it right up."

Rhett huffs an annoyed sound. "Don't care about the views if it makes you feel that way."

"I'm fine, Rhett." It feels a bit like a lie, his chest still aching from a wound reopened a million times over.

One large, clammy hand finds his and the parallel makes him jolt. He knows better.

He's quiet and subdued, not meeting Link's eyes when he speaks again, "I know it hurts. It hurts me too." Fingers squeezed together. "I'm just so grateful for all we've had."

Damnit, he's aiming to make him cry, isn't he? Link's eyes are misty, voice thick in his throat, "I'm thankful for that too, man. Never woulda made it like this without you."

Rhett's thumb rubs the back of his hand, his knuckles. "Grateful for our families puttin' up with our dumbasses." It lightens the mood for a moment but tears spill down Rhett's cheeks anyway, even with the bittersweet grin spreading his lips.

He chokes out a half laugh, half sob. "We don't deserve them, that's fer sure."

"Dunno that that's true, bo. We're good enough people, aren't we?"

"I wonder sometimes," he admits, shoulders jerking in a twitchy shrug.

"We did what we were supposed to do. Doesn't that amount to somethin'?"

"But I can't let it rest, can't ever forget it."

Rhett's quiet a minute, still holding Link's hand. He speaks low, like it's scandalous, a secret to carry to the grave, "Hope I never forget."

They've come a long way over the years. Their team is as diverse as it gets. They've opened their hearts to all love, even in the face of their upbringing. They struggle to shine that same light back on themselves. Had they grown up in a different time, perhaps a different place, their lives would be drastically changed. As much as their hearts yearn for it, it feels sacrilege to even consider wishing away the lives they've built for themselves, their loving wives and beautiful children. Never once have either one of them regretted those decisions. They truly have been blessed.

"I never will." Link's hand tightens around Rhett's as the tear tracks dry on his face.

Silence falls over them once more. It's easy and surprisingly light, as though a weight had been lifted from the both of them. They rise in unison. One last squeeze of interlocked hands. Rhett dares to lean down, a slow thing in case Link wants to turn him away. He leaves the lightest press of lips to Link's temple, right at his hairline. "Going back to the river tomorrow."

"Yeah." His eyes close, like that makes it easier to accept the affection. "See you in the morning."

Rhett steps away, opens the heavy door and, before it shuts behind him, murmurs, " 'night, bo."


End file.
